Apparatus for bluing metal sheets.



No. 323,22 PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906.

' A. mm).

APPARATUS r011 BLUING METALSHEETS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 8 1905.

1 AEtorneys A MBROSE ltlllD, GE NElVPOltT, KENTUCKY.

APPARATUS FOR BLUENG METAL SHEETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1906.

Application filed September 6, 1905. Serial No. 277,242.

To uh 1011,0712, 17/? may concern:

Be it known that I, AMBROSE limo, a citizen ol the United States, residing at- Newport, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Bluing Metal Sheets, of which the following is a specification.

T his invention relates to the manufacture otsheet iron and steel, and more especially that class of sheet-steel having a highly-finishcd surface and known as "tussian sheetiron.

1n the manufacture of sheet metal of this class it is desirable for commercial purposes to produce a sheet of bluish color; but this cannot always be accomplished, especially where the metal is handled at comparatively high temperatures. In the amrealingovens the temperature often reaches 1,000 Fahrenheit or more, and the sheets when cooled and withdrawn from the oven are sometimes of a color other than blue, generally a light desired color.

yellow or straw.

In themethods now generally practiced these oii-color sheets are passed through highly-heated rolls for the purpose of restoring the bluish tinge; but this additional passage through the rolls after the sheet has been finally planished and annealed will in many cases destroy the enamel-like surface of the sheet and materially reduce its value.

It is the object of the present invention to restore to the sheets the bluish tinge without danger of cracking or otherwise injuring the same, and this is accomplished by subjecting the sheets to a temperature sufiiciently high for the purpose Without again rolling or otherwise mechanically treating said. sheets.

A further obj cct of the invention is to pro vide an im roveda paratus in the nature of an oven w erein t 10 opposite sides 01" the sheets may be subjected to practically the same temperature, so that through uniform heating there will be no danger of warp or buckling ofthe sheet and both of its sunaces will present approximately the same appear ance.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of tempering even through which the sheet of inetal may be traversed and subjected to the )IO er temperature for changing the film o" ()Xld to the A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of tempering-oven wherein a current of heated fluid, suchv as air,

may be caused to circulate around the oven or may directly enter the even as required.

With these and other objects in View, as

will more fully hereinafter a ppcar. the invenb is a perspective view oi an appeal igure 1 constructed in accordance with the im'ention and designed to carry the improved method oi heating sheets into el'i'ect. .l ig. a longitudlnal sectional elevation ol the same.

Fig; 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Similar i'iumcrais of reference are employed to indicate corres 'nmdiug parts throughout So the several figures of the drawings.

The apparatus comprises an outer casing 30, at the center of which is an oven 1], that is open at both ends, and the end portions of the casinghc'tween the men thof the oven and 8 5 the vertical and horizontal walls of said casing are closed. At the central portion of the bottom of the casing is an inlet 12, through which heated lluid directed into the easing, the fluid encircling the vertical and horio aontal walls of the opening andhcating the latter to the desired temperature.

Arranged within the oven is a series of rollers 15, the plane of the tops of the rollers bein; prelerahlyat a pointnudwayoftl1ehe1ght 5 ol the even, so that a sheet of metal supported on said rollers will have its upper and lower surface ssubjected to approximately the same temperature. The spindles of these rollers extend out througl'l the" side of and on each spindle is secured a s rocketwheel 16, and all of said sprocket-w eels are connected by a link belt 17, by which movement is transmitted to all of said rollers for the casing, xoo

the purpose of traversing the sheet from end 10 5 to end of the oven, the rollers being turned Q ssaeee at slow speed and a single passage of the sheets throu h the' even being sufficient to accom lish tv e desired result.

The ottest portion of the oven is of course directly above the inlet 12, and in order that .the color of the sheet maybe inspected transparent panels 18 are arranged on the top of the oven' and in the top ol" the casing, said panels bein in alinement with each other and ermittin the operator to ascertain the con ition of t e sheets. A thermometer 20 is also provided in order that the temperature of the apparatus may be ascertained.

In some cases it is desirable to permit the heated fluid to make direct contact with the sheet being treated and for this purpose the top and bottom walls of the oven are formed of pivotally-mounted shutters or dampers 22,

the pivotintles of which are extended to the exterior o the casing and are provided with rocker-arms 23, said rocker-arms being connected t6 bars 24 and said bars bein connected together b an operating-handle 25, so that all of the s iutters or dampers maybe simultaneously opened and closed.

In practice, the sheets to be treated are introduced at one end of the oven, and the latter being heated to the proper tern erature the rollers are gradually turned and t e sheets are gradually fed toward the opposite end of panel, so that the operator may view the result, and, if necessary, increase or :decrease the temperature, or he may open or close the oven-shutters to a greater or less extent in accordance with the character of the sheet being treated. The temperature maybe varied to some extent, but will range from 530 for a light purple to (310 for a pale blue.

In the construction oi the apparatus doors or dampers 26 are preferably placed at the oppositeends of the main chamber for the ur )ose of allowing the escape/oi the heated ui( and such doors or dampers are shown -in Fig. 1 as connected to the operating-bars 24 by means of links 27, the arrangement being such that when the shutters or dampers 22 are closed the dampers 26 will beopcned, and when the dampers 26 are closed the dam ers 22 are open. The heated lluid, es ecially where air is used, may be conducted )aek to the heating appliance and again directed through. the supply-tube 12.

Metal sheets treated in the manner described retain the enamel-like surface produced by condensation'of the film of oxid and will not crack or otherwise injure the finish of the sheet, while uniformity of color of the entire product of the mill is insured at a comparatively small cost.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 01. in apparatus of the class described, an

oven open at its opposite ends, sheet-supporting means arranged within the even, a casing surrounding the bottom, top and s de walls of the oven, the lower central portion of the casing having means for directing a heating fluid against the lower central ortion of the oven, and the opposite ends 0 the casing having outlets for the heating flu d, whereby a high temperature may be mamtained'at the central portion of the oven and gradually reduce toward both ends thereof.

2. In apparatus of the class described, an oven open at its opposite ends to permit the continuous passage of sheets to be annealed, sheet-supporting means arranged within and above the floor of the oven, easing surrounding the bottom, top and walls of the even, there being an inlet for a heating fluid at the lower central portion of thecasing, and outlets for such fluid at the upper outer ends oi the casing.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a casing, an oven arranged within. and having its top, bottom and side Walls surrounded by and spaced from said casing, the opposite ends of the even being open to permit the continuous passage of sheets to be annealed, shutters or dampers arranged in the walls of the oven for controlling the passage of aheating fluid into said even.

4. 1n apparatus of the class described, an outer casing or jacket, an oven arranged within the same, shutters or dampers ar- I'TtIlfQY-(i in the to and bottom walls of the oven, and means ior opening and closing said shutters.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a casingor jacket, an oven arranged within the same, a plurality oi shutters or'dampers arranged in the top and bottom walls oi said oven, and shutter-operating members extending to the exterior of the casing and connected for mutual movement.

6. In apparatus ofthe class described, an outer casing or jacket, an oven arranged Within the same, a plurality of sl'iutte'rs or dampers arranged in the top and bottom walls of the oven, the pintlcs of said dampers extending outward through said casing, rocker-arms connected to said pintles, and means for connecting all of such rocker-arms for n'iutuai movement 7 In apparatus of the class described, an outer casing or jacket having an escapeopening, a damper for closipgbthe same, an oven IOf i arranged within said casing, and a plurality 51a actuating means connecting all of the my own I have hereto afixed my signature ampers or shuigeiii, saig actllliaging mean? in the presenoe of two Witnesses. bein so armn e .t atw ent e am also the fiver: are I IIOVGd'tO closed positi n the 7 a SE RID-D 5 dampers of the casing will be moved to open Witnesses: position" 1 H. W. HAWKINS,- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as L J., C. DE Moss. 

